The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-09-08
HOrsemanship.

Saddles are almost as various in
form and structure as the races of men
who use horses, and so are the styles
of riding, and the man who dog
matizes about his own saddle and style
runs the risk of being brought to
shame. Nothing, for instance, can
differ more from cowboys seat and
saddle than Cossack's or Turcoman's.
The cowboy sits straight-legged on his
fork, in what is called ..tOngs on a
walr' fashion. in ahigh-peaked saddle,
with his toes stuck out The Cossack or
Turcoman sits as fiat as if he were in a
chair, his leg forming right angle at
the knee and his feet exactly parallel
with the horses side. All three are
superb riders, whether it be for stick
ing on, or getting over rough ground,
or making long marches, or fighting,
or running away. If you argued with
Turcoman that he ought not to sit in
flat saddle, with such short stirrups,
but get Whitman and stick his legs
out, like Capt. Goldman, he would not
laugh because that is not his style, but
he would inwardly set you down as an
idiot, besides being an infidel.
There is also much nonsense talked
about the propriety or impropriety of
raising or 'bobbing up and down" in
the saddle during the trot when max
ing Journey. and occasionally a
s'True American" writes to the news
papers some sad drivel on this subject
as a protest against the Anglomaniac
dudes who bob up and down ON banged
horsesi the park. On the subject Capt
Goldman, too, appears to have been
led astray. If you use an English sad
die. it is simply cruelty to the horse not
to rise in trotting on long ride, es-
pecially in the case of heavy weight.
In an English saddle the rider sits well
behind his stirrups, which are rather
short, fashion approaching closely
to the Asiatic seat, and if he tries to sit
close during the trOt he strikes the
horse catapultic blow at every stride
in the tenderest portion of the animals
back. When he rises, ON the contrary,
he descends gently and he keeps his
weight steady on the horse by throw
ing it into his stirrups when his
hinder parts are in the air. The prin-
ciple of the thing is in the fact illus
trated by the jockeys practice of
standing in his stirrups during a race
and the Cossacks or Arabs during a
charge. In both cases what is sought
is to avoid pounding the horse with a
150-pound mallet when the poor ami
NAL is trying to move in regular trot
or gallop.
In military, or Mexican, or Whit
man saddle the circumstances are
wholly different. The rider almost
stands straight legged in his stirrups
when the horse is trotting and keeps
his weight on them and at the same
time accommodates himself to the
horses motion by an up-and-down
spring of the foot. In other words, he
has no occasion to rise, and does not
come down on the horse with a bang.
There is probably nothing about which
wide observation is more necessary to
make people talk sensiblY than about
horsemanship. Every nation which
rides in the saddle has its own system,
and for that nation its own brides,
saddles, bits, and seats are the best in
the world. The man who sets about
disputing this runs great risk, as we
have said, of being brought to shame.
l-NelO York ECenin0 Post